DETROIT LAKES, Minn. (KFGO KDLM) – A Detroit Lakes man has been sentenced to one year in jail and 15 years of probation for two counts of felony criminal vehicular homicide, and operation, while intoxicated.
The charges stemmed from the serious injuries to Jacklyn and Frank Benninger, both of Detroit Lakes, while they were resting in their Lakes Inn motel room, near West Lake Drive in May 2022.
According to court records, 54-year-old Wade Olds drove his pickup off the road and into the corner room of motel with the couple inside, and then fled the scene in his vehicle.
Jacklyn Benninger suffered a severed spinal cord, a punctured lung and liver, numerous broken ribs and was paralyzed from the waist down. She also required continuous medical treatment until she eventually died from her injuries in November.
Her husband, Frank, suffered multiple broken ribs, three broken vertebrae in his back and had his spleen removed as a result of the crash.
Olds was arrested by Detroit Lakes police a short time after the crash while he was parked in his pickup on Rossman Avenue.
At the time of his arrest, he told the officer he believed he “blacked out” and apologized “if he hurt anyone.” His blood alcohol level was .148%.
Becker County District Court Judge Michael Fritz sentenced Olds to one year at the Becker County Jail. Nearly six years of prison time stayed for 15 years while he is on probation. He also ordered Olds not be given any early discharge from the probation program, which will require 30 days of electronic and alcohol monitoring every year and 500 hours of community service with the Department of Public Safety’s Towards Zero Death Initiative.
He must also attend at Mothers Against Drunk Driving victim impact panel and not drive until permission is granted by his probation officer.
